Achievements
‘My son aspires to become a Chess Grandmaster’
Apeejay student Hridhaan Chawla recently bagged third position in Sahodaya International School Chess competition in the Under-19 Category.
Hridhaan Chawla, a class 4 student at Apeejay School, Model Town, made his school proud by securing third position in the Sahodaya International School Chess competition in the Under-19 Category. In an interview, his mother, Bhavna Chawla talks about Hridhaan’s recent achievements. Read edited excerpts:
How did you get to know about the competition?
Sahodaya is an Inter School Competition held for various sports. We came to know about it from the school itself, and Hridhaan’s coach Mr. Dinesh Gera also informed us about it. We enrolled him through Apeejay School, Model Town, Jalandhar.
How did he develop an interest in chess?
When Hridhaan was five years old, he used to play a lot of brain teasers. So his father, (Mr Atul Chawla), who also has a keen interest in sports, decided to encourage Hridhaan to play chess. So, Hridhaan was five years old when he started playing chess.We went to Apeejay School sports academy where he started with chess classes and within a month he was able to learn and understand lots of variations. He also gets coaching from Mr. Gera, who helps him play the game strategically.
How long did he practice before the competition?
Before any competition or tournament, Hridhaan practices daily for 8-9 hours under the guidance of his coach.
Is he planning to participate in any other competition? Where has he participated so far?
Yes, Hridhaan is going to participate in the Nationals Under-9 category in Indore from December 25′ 2022 to January 2 ‘ 2023. He will represent Punjab at the competition.
Hridhaan has participated in the district-level competition Under-9 category, where he got 1st position. He has also participated in Punjab state Under-9, Under-10, Under-11, and Under-15 categories. He got 1st position in the State Under-9 category and has been selected for Nationals. He got 2nd Position in the State Under-10 category. He also participated in the Nationals Under-10 category held in Jammu in April’ 22.
What extracurricular activities does Hridhaan enjoy?
Hridhaan enjoys playing badminton. In his free time, he plays badminton and cricket with his elder brother. He also loves to solve puzzles.
What is Hridhaan’s ambition?
Hridhaan is nine years old now, and it is too early to say anything. But yes, whenever someone asks him about his aim in life, he always says, ‘I want to become a Chess Grandmaster.’
